What does sullying mean?
Sullying means to make something dirty or stained, but the word is most often used figuratively to describe the damage done to a person's reputation, honor, or good name. It suggests that something previously valued or respected has become tainted by wrongdoing, deception, or scandal. The verb is formal and literary, with a strongly negative connotation that is stronger than the language of merely making a mistake. Because sullying implies a visible or morally significant stain, it is especially effective in discussions of public accusations, betrayal, and conduct that discredits an individual or institution. The literal sense, in which material makes something dirty, is now uncommon but remains readily intelligible. Although sullying can describe criticism or association alone, it most naturally applies to conduct that is genuinely improper or damaging. In contemporary use, its figurative sense dominates, making the word especially useful when discussing the erosion of trust and public standing.
verbTo make dirty or stained; especially, to tarnish a person's reputation, honor, or name through wrongdoing or damaging conduct.
- Figuratively, to damage or tarnish a person's reputation, honor, or name.
- Literally, to make something dirty or stained.
"The refusal to conceal the error was widely praised for not sullying the reputation of the organization."
"No one should sully the memory of a generous benefactor with unsupported accusations."
"Rain and mud sullied the pale stone steps of the old church."
A reputation can be stained too: sullying turns an abstract honor into something visibly marked.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sullying come from?
The word developed through Middle English from an Old English verb meaning "to dirty" or "to soil." Its close Germanic relatives include Dutch sullen and German sūdeln, which preserve the same sense of making something dirty. The modern figurative meaning, concerning the staining of reputation or honor, developed naturally through the word's longstanding association with physical dirt and discoloration.
Related word forms
How sullying is actually used
Sullying is formal and literary. Its figurative use—referring to damage to a reputation or moral standing—is substantially more common today than its now-rare literal use.
Easily confused with sullying
Sullen means glum or sulky, whereas sullying means making something dirty or, figuratively, tarnishing a reputation or honor.